148 kms from Colombo and South
of Sigiriya is another vast isolated rock mass on the summit of which a
is a cluster of five temples which from ancient times have been the
abode of monks. It was here that King Valagam Bahu took refuge in the
1st century B.C. He later turned the caves into a rock temple.Hewn out of this rock
is a gigantic recumbent image of the Buddha 14 metre long. These
temples are painted throughout with most exquisite murals
depicting the life and teachings of the Buddha. Some of the
frescoes are over 2,000 years old. |
![](images/mapancientcitiimage.jpg) |